air brake

noun

1

: a brake operated by a piston driven by compressed air

2

: a surface that may be projected into the airstream for increasing drag and lowering the speed of an airplane

Examples of air brake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cargo thefts are a pervasive problem in isolated stretches of the Mojave Desert, where thieves board slow-moving freight trains to steal high-value merchandise, sometimes slashing an air brake hose to bring the railcars to an emergency stop. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026

The Florida Attorney General's Office later learned Singh failed the commercial driver's license knowledge exam 10 times and the air brakes knowledge exam twice before Washington state issued him a CDL. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 13 July 2026

For context, a McLaren 765LT supercar only beats that by two feet, and that has a freaking air brake. — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 19 Feb. 2026

There is also an active rear spoiler that can raise and angle to produce an air brake. — New Atlas, 2 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for air brake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• forsake
• gouache
• handshake
• headache

Kids Definition

air brake

noun

1

: a brake operated by a piston driven by compressed air

2

: a surface that may be quickly positioned into the air for lowering the speed of an airplane